Realtors’ body CREDAI-NCR requests Centre’s air quality panel to lift ban on construction activities

Air pollution in Delhi NCR

The Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Association of India (CREDAI), NCR, has requested the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to lift the ban on construction activities as the air quality index has been ranging below 400 (severe category) in Delhi-NCR in last few days.

The body of real estate developers in NCR has submitted a memorandum to the Centre’s air quality panel and argued that as per the norms, Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stages III and IV are invoked when the AQI goes above 400 and 450 respectively but after Diwali, the AQI has been oscillating in the range below 400 and hence as per the guidelines, the GRAP III and IV restrictions should be lifted.

Representatives of CREDAI-NCR met CAQM officials on November 15 and said that the real estate sector has been hit by the construction ban and the sector has faced “losses and delays” due to the move.

The CAQM had on November 5 imposed stage IV of GRAP, which includes a blanket ban on construction activities, burning of garbage, a ban on plying diesel trucks and other heavy vehicles among others. Non-essential construction activities were banned on November 3 when the Centre’s air quality panel imposed GRAP stage III. The GRAP action depends on four stages of pollution: Stage I - 'poor' (Air Quality Index 201-300); Stage II - 'very poor' (AQI 301-400); Stage III - 'severe' (AQI 401-450); and Stage IV - 'severe plus' (AQI above 450).

The memorandum stated that the ban on sis causing “loss of hundreds of crores” and may lead to delay in possession of flat by homebuyers.

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“Currently the AQI is less than 400 after Diwali and hence, as per the above guidelines, GRAP III and IV restrictions are eligible to be lifted and thereafter construction activities can resume with all precautionary measures as are followed on a regular basis. In view of the severe losses and delays faced by the industry we request that restrictions under GRAP III and IV be lifted without any further delay so the (construction) works can be started,” CREDAI NCR said in its communication to the CAQM.

Also Read: Construction ban in Delhi-NCR will delay projects: Real estate developers 

Gaurav Gupta, Secretary, CREDAI-NCR, said that stringent measures to control air pollution are important but there are some unintended consequences of the construction ban on the livelihoods of the labourers and workers involved in these activities.

“Labourers are currently sitting idle due to the ban and there is a concern that they may return to their respective hometowns if construction work does not resume soon. This not only affects the workforce but also delays real estate project deliveries. A one-month construction ban translates into a delay of three to four months. Since the AQI has been below 400 for the last few days, we request that restrictions under GRAP III and IV be lifted,” Gupta said.

The district administration and other enforcement authorities in Noida, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad and Gurugram have formed teams to check violations, especially construction and demolition activities. Till Diwali, the authorities had imposed penalties of at least Rs 1.2 crore across NCR against real estate builders for carrying out construction activities despite the ban.